ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 26, 31 January 1907, Page 4

ANGLO-COLONIAL NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, 21st> December. A London paper notes that tho High Commissioner for New Zealand has been asked by the Proprietary Articles Subsection of the London Chamber of Commerce to receive a deputation with reference to New Zealand's proposed legislation requiring tho disclosures of tho formulae of proprietary medicines and foods imported into that colony. "A few weeks back," says tho snmo journal, "we printed a report of a meeting of members of the sub-section, and It was obvious that while Now Zealand wac quite justly determined to keep out quack medicines and 'fako' panaceas, tho flew legislation might very easily bo a real, and, perhaps, unjust hardship to tho makers of medicines whoso purity and efficacy wero above suspicion, because to disclose the recipe, or formulae, of^a medical preparation is almost the samo as giving away a patent or not protecting a copyright. However, the merits ot the cas,e cannot be properly discussed yet, because, as Mr. Beeves pointed out, no detailed information regarding the proposed new Bill has, so tar, come to hand. For that reason tho deputation to Mr. Reeves has becu p6stponed. ■ Now that a number of colonists havo settled down in Newcastle for a lengthy stay if not permanently, an Australasian Club has been formed in that city, with headquarters in St. Mary's Place, at tho Geographical Institute. About thirty members dined together one evening recently, Dr. F. Page, President of tho Association, being in tho chair, and those present were representative of all the, Australasian colonies. Dr. Leighton (Vice-President of the Edinburgh Australasian Club) remarked that the EdinI burgh Australasian Club was the oldest Australasian Club in Great Britain. He was instructed by "the boys" in Edinr burgh to wish tho members good luck and many happy returns of the day. Iheir objects in Edinburgh wero to say "good-bye" to the university students who wore about to return to Now Zealand and Australia, and to do all in their power to advance in the Old Country the interests of New Zealanders and Australians. Even if thero should be political separation, ho did not believe it would affect the ties that bound tho British race throughout the world. In tho House of Commons, Mr. J. P. Eolland, M.P. for South Kerry," asked the Under-Secretary of State for tho Colonies whether he could stato what was the proportion of fust-grado bnttcr to the total exported when grading was first instituted in New Zealand, and what was the proportion in tha present year, according to the latest information; nnd cotud he stato what was the difference in the price of first-grade New Zealand butter now and that current when grading was instituted. In reply, Mr. Winston Churchill said :— "Compulsory grading wag instituted in New Zealand by tho Dairy Industry Act of 1894. Ihe first year for which full uttttisticS "c available is that ended 3lst March, 1896. when the percentage of first-grade creamery butter was 93 per cent., while in?£ for the year ended 3lsfc March, 1906, was 97 85 per cent. (It should bo noted that the grading standards were raised in 1899, i.e., tho judging was stiffened.) In regard to tho difference in pricfe *s between these years, no precise figures can bo quoted as a guide, as values fluctuate from year to year, according to the general state of the market, irrespective of such influences as grading. It may be stated in general, howevor, that New Zealand butter, since the institution of grading, has attained a higher standard of value, represented by many shillings per hundredweight." Jlr. Holland further asked tho Undersecretary for the Colonies whether lie could etate the cost per hundredweight of grading butter in New Zealand, and what was the proportion borno by the producer and the New Zealand Government respectively, to which Mr. Churchill replied: "The cost of grading butter in New Zealand by the Government of that colony is stated to be approximately ljd per cIH. The whole of such cost is borne by the Government. Thb figure named does not include the cost of cold-fitorngo at the grading depots at the ports of shipment. Practically the whole of 6Uch cold storage charges aro now borno by the producer or shipper, and are considered ns pertaining in greatei degree to the business of oversea export than to the official grading eyatem <ii the colony.' 1 Lord Elgin, Secretary of State for the Colonies, replying 1 yetterdny to a resolution presented by the St, Helena Committee in London, said that he hoped that it might be found possible to establish in St. Helena from Imperial funds the" New Zealand flax industry on a satisfactory foundation, He also promised that he would make immediate enquiries as to the condition of affairs in the island, and step* should he taken to relievo distress if found to be existent. Referring to tho fart that both English and Dutch may be spoken in tho new Transvaal Parliament, and that both French und English arc permissible in the Canadian HMufe of Connndns, a London paper says: "In the >few Zealand Parliament abo two languages nifty he Spolten, thd M<6rl, or 1 nativo, representa. tivea .having the right to addreW the House in' tneif own tongue, nnd to have their speeches translated into English by a« official intefjjreter. But both in Canada and New Zealand the Parliamentary oto of English is constantly op the increase. Most of the recently-elected Maori member* received their education at itnglitsh colleges, and have become romarkably proficient and fluedt In our language One Maori member, named Bydnoy T&lwhanga, holds tho record foisustßrned loquacity in the New Zealand Parliament. Ho delivered an rfration exUndim* over eleven hours on the wrongs and grievances df his race."